Monthly Archives: April 2013

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Whereas, There are no data demonstrating that implementing MOL requirements beyond Texas’ prescribed CME requirements would provide enhanced quality of care to our patients; and

Whereas, As many as twenty-five (25) percent of all physicians currently practicing medicine in the U.S. have never been board certified and are thus actively excluded from entry into MOC programs, creating hardship if imposed; and Continue reading →

WHEREAS, The Michigan State Medical Society is actively engaged in advocacy to protect physicians from unnecessary regulatory and financial burdens in their practices, and

WHEREAS, The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has and continues to press legislation coupling insurance payments to active enrollment in “time limited” Board Certification and the associated Maintenance of Certification program in a nationwide fashion, imposing this upon the practice of medicine in Michigan, (1) and Continue reading →

The Association of American Physicians & Surgeons (AAPS) has filed suit today in federal court against the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) for restraining trade and causing a reduction in access by patients to their physicians. The ABMS has entered into agreements with 24 other corporations to impose enormous “recertification” burdens on physicians, which are not justified by any significant improvements in patient care.

Resolved: That the Iowa Medical Society supports the continued lifelong learning by physicians and the improvement to quality of practice; opposes the institution of Maintenance of Licensure for those who are board-certified and/or maintaining relevant CME and peer-reviewed quality of practice and/or participating in Maintenance of Certification; and opposes further Maintenance of Licensure for all other physicians without sufficient supportive data demonstrating that the Maintenance of Licensure supports patient outcomes and improves quality of care.

AAPS (AAPSonline.org) is collecting information on the true costs of participating in MOC – maintenance of certification and OCC – Osteopathic continuous certification.

Specialty boards often downplay the costs of MOC, minimizing them by
referring only to the fee for taking the examination.

AAPS will be collecting and reporting on the hard numbers obtained from this survey. This information will be critical not only in opposing the mis-information distributed by specialty boards, but in supporting our AAPS lawsuit against the American Board of Medical Specialties.

But, we need your help and the help of physicians who are participating in MOC to tell us their actual costs.

Board certification began as a means to assess the knowledge of physicians emerging from residency programs that varied in length of training, program requirements and quality. Since 1981 when ACGME assumed the task of accrediting residency programs, specialty training has become standardized and highly regulated. Certification exams continue as a voluntary test, a lifetime mark of achievement, similar to passing the bar for lawyers. In spite of multiple mechanisms for assessing physician competency (peer review, hospital privileging, state license boards, malpractice liability, etc.) certification is increasingly used as a requirement for hospital privileges, insurance and Medicare payment, and more recently attempts are being made to tie maintenance of certification to licensure. This push is occurring as the certification process is simultaneously requiring increasing amounts of physician time and expense –all without evidence of benefit for the costs. The American Boards of Medical Specialties have grown into multi-million dollar entities, closely entwined with government regulatory agencies, possessing near-monopoly control over certification. The CEOs earn $800,000 to $1.2 million dollar annual salaries. Re-certification costs individual physicians thousands of dollars, and many hours away from their patients, businesses and families –which also aggravates the problems of rising health care costs and physician shortages.

Physicians unanimously support life-long learning and excellence in medicine, but in these days of increasing concern over fraud, waste and unnecessary spending in healthcare, it’s time to take a closer look at the process and role of certification in assuring and improving quality. The standard of “evidence-based” is relevant not just for medical practice, for health care policy as well.

What’s the evidence for and against the new requirements for Maintenance of Certification and its connection to Maintenance of Licensure? In arranging for a pair of experts to argue the issues before an audience of medical students, faculty and community physicians, the Benjamin Rush Society promotes a rigorous examination and discussion of controversial issues.